


The Sun Won't Always Be Black

by TheYellowAllosaurus



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Episode: s03e10-11 The Day of Black Sun, Episode: s03e14-15 The Boiling Rock, Hakoda (Avatar) is a Good Parent, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Mentioned Ozai (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Ozai's A+ Parenting, POV Sokka (Avatar), POV Zuko (Avatar), Parental Hakoda (Avatar), Pre-Episode: s03e14-15 The Boiling Rock, Sibling Rivalry, Whump, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, zukka - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:08:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27236263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheYellowAllosaurus/pseuds/TheYellowAllosaurus
Summary: Imprisoned after confronting his father on the Day of Black Sun, Zuko has to decide what he is willing to do to help the Avatar defeat his father. The Avatar's allies aren't quick to trust the former heir and he is a traitor to his country now; nobody is eager to help him.Is Zuko trying to heal the scars his county has left on the world or is he trying to heal the scars his father has left on his family?
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 119





	1. Goodbye, Zuzu

A throbbing pain brought Zuko to consciousness. His temple felt like an earth bender was driving a column of rock into his skull. Over and over - in time with the beat of his heart.

He could feel the smooth scrape of real stone dragging against his feet and knees. The chill and damp from the rock crept through the soft material of his trousers.

The familiar scent of an approaching storm along with a softer floral smell made him jerk. Azula was nearby.

"Zuzu, you seem upset?" His sister's voice dripped with mock concern.

It was too late. He hadn't made it out of the compound after confronting the Firelord. His sister had subdued him. She had bested him. Like she always did.

They had reached the cell-block where the Avatar's captured invasion forces were being held. Zuko cracked his eyes open. He could see faces staring at them through the bars of the cells as they passed. He tried to get his feet under him but he had no leverage against Azula's slender hands gripping his arm and torso.

"You wanted to join the Avatar and his friends so badly Zuzu, well it looks like you'll be getting your wish! Sorry if this wasn't quite what you had in mind."

"I feel sorry f' you Azula." Was all Zuko could muster. He felt disoriented; nausea threatened to overwhelm him.

Azula tossed Zuko into a cell with another man. He landed hard on his face and his knees, jarring his already throbbing head. The scent of sweat made his stomach churn.

"Azula -" Zuko's voice cracked as he said his sister's name. He managed to lift himself up to his knees so he could make eye contact with her as she shut the cell door and bolted it. "listen t' me."

"Oh, I'm listening." Zuko saw her smile through crossed eyes. "I do wonder what you could possibly think to say to me that would make me feel sorry for the position you're in." Zuko snorted.

"I don't think- I do-" Zuko shook his head but that made everything fuzzier. "I. Do not. Think. thatyouare- that" He panted. "y-you're even capable of feeling sorry-" Zuko let out a long breath. Azula waited patiently for her brother's speech. "Of. Feeling. Sorry. forotherpeople Zu -la." 

Zuko stumbled over his speech, slurring his words. This thought had only just occurred to him, that his younger sister really did not care. He turned his face up toward his sister, eyes wide. "Buut-" Zuko toook in a sharp breath.

"Touching brother." Azula laughed. She stepped forward and knelt down so that she was face to face with Zuko. "You are a disappointment to this family, you are weak, and you are a traitor to the Firelord." She smiled. "And you will never regain your honor." Zuko smiled showing off red-rimmed teeth.

"You - 'er" Zuko huffed. "Riiight. Azoo-la." Azula frowned. She reached through the bars to take the unblemished half of Zuko's face in her hand.

"If I thought it would teach you a lesson," She said, leaning closer to Zuko's face. He could smell the soft floral scent she wore for perfume and perhaps a bit of cardamom as well? "I would burn the other half of your face off, Zuzu." Zuko's face broke out in a grin.

"F-father hasa habit of letting you," Zuko brought his shackled hands up to Azula's wrist. She let him slide his fingers over her wrist. He was too week to tighten his grip. "finishhisbusiness." He inhaled. "for- For. him." Zuko could hear a sharp intake of breath behind him. He ignored it.

"But, sister, w-when I'm g-gone whoda think Father's new punching bag's gon' t' be?" His sisters hand tightened its grip on the side of Zuko's head. "I'm not say'n t'be crule, Azula." Zuko let his hands drop with a scraping sound as the metal from his manacles slid against the metal bars of the cell. "S-sorry I couldn't pro pro-tect from- that I couldn't s-stop you from- whatever It. Is. that you -" Zuko's eyes were downcast now. "whatever You. av- become."

"Excuse me?"

"But one day the Fire Lord is goingtoraisehisfists when s-something, Some. Thing. goooes wrong a-and I'm not goingtobethere a-anymore, Azula." Zuko's speech quickened along with his breath. He wouldn't be able to continue this conversation much longer. "You will." Azula's hand had grown hotter as Zuko spoke and he could feel his cheek and temple begin to burn. "Just li-like I was when M-mother, when mom-"

"You don't give a damn about me. Or the Fire Nation, brother." Azula spat.

"I do. Bu n-none of it matters. Unless, unless the Avatar can defeat fa-father. Unless h-he can defeat father- it Does. Not. m-matter."

"Your pathetic." Azula let go of his face leaving a painful burn where her hand had been.

"Yes, b-but less so- to-day t-than, I-I've been in long-long time." Azula stood and began to turn away. When her back was facing the cell she stopped and paused for a moment.

"Goodbye, Zuzu." She walked away after that but Zuko barely registered her departure as he grabbed the bars in an effort not to collapse and began to retch.


	2. Three Fingers

Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe sat in a Fire Nation prison cell watching the Kingdom's crown prince empty the contents of his stomach on the floor of their enclosure. He had never personally encountered the boy in the past but he knew of him. The prince had a reputation for being rash and destructive.

Right now though, the prince looked disheveled and thoroughly put out. He had stopped vomiting and was leaning his head against the bars of the cell. Hakoda waited several heartbeats, listening to Zuko's sharp breaths, before deciding to intervene.

Hakoda lifted himself up. His side ached and he was a bit stiff from sitting against the chilled stone of the cell but he came to his feet without incident and walked over to the now shivering Fire Nation boy. Without preamble, the chief lifted Zuko up and half-carried him, half marched him to the other side of the cell. The boy didn't struggle. Hakoda set him in the corner, the place where the two walls met serving to support the prince in a sitting position.

Kneeling in front of his newly deposited charge, Hakoda made eye contact with the Fire Nation prince. The boy had an odd expression of pained confusion on his face. His eyes seemed a bit crossed.

Hakoda knew that the Fire Prince had some sort of disfigurement on his face. He had always imagined it as a burn over his cheek or temple - the result of some reckless action with his overzealous fire bending. He had not imagined the boy with half his face and neck marred with scarring. His hairline behind his ear pushed back by the former injury. Hakoda could see the boy’s hand and forearm had also been partially burned and wondered how much scarring was hidden beneath his clothing. 

Studying the boy’s face Hakoda realized that while the scarring discolored most of its right half, Zuko had fresh bruising across his temple. There was a red mark on his opposite cheek as well. It was in the shape of a handprint. 

The princess, this boy's sister, must have done that to him only a few minutes before. That burn was mild and would fade in a few days. What concerned Hakoda was Zuko's inability to fully meet his gaze. It didn't look as if he was avoiding Hakoda's stare but the boy’s eyes didn't appear to be cooperating with their owner and the pupil in the eye forced halfway shut by the scar tissue on that side of his face was much larger than in the other exaggerating how it narrowed more than the other.

"Young man, I think you have a bad head injury." Hakoda said. Zuko smiled lopsidedly.

"Yeeeah, m-most people, most people, don't notice." He let his chin drop as he spoke and then eyelids began to follow. Hakoda was unsure if the boy had genuinely attempted to make a self-deprecating joke or if he honestly didn't realize that the man was referring to the blow Zuko must have just recently taken to the head.

"No, I'm not talking about your scarring. You've been hit in the head recently right? Can you keep looking at me for a moment?" Hakoda was not harsh but he kept his tone authoritative and detached. He spoke to Zuko as he would to one of his men. In response, the boy did try to lift his gaze back up to meet Hakoda's.

"Oh, um, ah…" Zuko furrowed his brow. “Maybe?” He said.

That didn't bode well as a response, Hakoda thought, but at least the boy understood what was being said to him. The chief decided there wasn't much he could do for the kid other than try and keep him awake. He sighed and lifted his half gloved hand up with the first two fingers and thumb raised.

"How many fingers am I holding up." Asked Hakoda. Zuko looked contemplative for a few beats.

"Fffour." The boy's voice was low and guarded as he slurred out his response.

By all things sacred, thought Hakoda. He lost a bit of his business-like demeanor as he stared at the Fire Nation prince for a moment. The boy was giving him as steady a gaze as he could muster, his mouth in a hard line. This boy took a blow to the head so hard he just told the chief of the Southern Water Tribe that he was holding up four fingers instead of three with a straight face. Hakoda ran his hand through his hair and moved into a sitting position against the wall a few feet from Zuko. The boy turned his head to continue looking at him, his scared cheek was now pressed against the cell-wall.

"Alright, listen son. I know you probably feel tired right now but you need to stay awake." Zuko's eyes had actually begun drifting shut as Hakoda gave his speech. "Hey!" Hakoda said. The boy looked a bit cross but opened his eyes.

"Yeah." Huffed Zuko.

"No,” Hakoda began in a stern voice. “Look at me and say you will stay awake." Commanded Hakoda. Zuko made a small frown.

"I'll ssstay wake." He said.

"Alright then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm describing Zuko's scarring based on fan art done by @pakchoys (tumblr) / @noodlebunny (ao3). I have not read her fics (because I just now looked her up) but her fan art is amazing. I originally encountered it on pinterest and immediately thought about incorporating the idea into a fanfiction.


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